Mortal Tears
by ObsidianDreamer1
Summary: At age 15 Sakura's life was shattered by the mysterious death of her mother. Her only clue was a single line in a her mother's diary that she received when she was 18. "My life started, and indeed ended, with him. The Uchiha." Haunted by that cryptic line Sakura heads to Tokyo where it is rumored the elite Uchiha clan resides. But all knowledge comes with a price as she would learn
1. Chapter 1

Mortal Tears

Chapter 1

Sakura pulled her car into one of the side streets that ran parallel with the new club that was in the heart of the Tokyo entertainment district. Flashing neon lights lit the area like eternal fireworks and still she did not leave the confines of the vehicle.

_Am I really going to do this? _

Yes, she thought lifting her chin up, she was. Her 'normal' job wasn't yielding any results in her search. Time to take a different approach regarding the cryptic line in her mother's journal.

_My life started and indeed ended, with him. The Uchiha. _

Because of those ten little words, a single line, she was out at eleven at night going to a club. But not any club.

_The _club. Susano-Wo. The hottest thing to hit the Tokyo nightlife since the neon light.

It was also patronized by the elite. Those who had both power and money.

Naturally it was owned by the Uchiha clan.

_Stop stalling and get your butt moving, _Sakura told herself harshly and before she could lose her nerve, she pushed the door open to her little car and stepped out into the street, the heels on her boots making a distinctive clicking noise on the pavement.

She was lucky that she was only one street over from the club. She had no desire to walk the streets of Tokyo dressed like she was.

_It might give people the wrong idea about me. _Her lips curved at that and she made her way between the buildings as fast as four inch heels would allow.

Sakura nearly groaned at the sight of the line forming at the club entrance. It was so long it had wrapped itself around the building with hopeful wannabe's wanting entrance to the club.

The V.I.P's naturally did not have to wait, the doorman aka bouncer, simply unlocked the black velvet rope to allow them to enter while keeping the pedestrians waiting their turn. He in turn was deciding who to let in and who to send away.

Sakura was still trying to figure out how he was picking and choose the people who he let in, for his selections seemed to make no sense.

_So quite analyzing and get your leather clad butt over there. You just might be able to get in there _before _two am. _

"You, come here!"

Sakura turned her head just as she entered the lit alleyway to make her way to the line. She saw, much to her surprise, that the bouncer had crooked a finger for her to approach him. _Damn it, I hope he isn't going to send me away. I haven't even gotten in line yet!_

"Yes?" she asked as she walked slowly over to him, as though she had all the time in the world. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah there's something wrong," he told her even as his eyes traveled along the sensuous lines of body. "I haven't seen you around. Why is that?"

Sakura crossed her arms under her chest and tipped her head slightly to the side, a feather of bangs sliding over a bright, emerald eye. "Maybe you have been looking in wrong places?"

The bouncer laughed at her sassy tone, "You looking to get in?" he asked her, an answering grin on his face that gave way to a single dimple on corner of the left side of his face that was utterly charming.

"That was the idea."

Abruptly he unhooked the black velvet and motioned her for her to step through, "Then why go to the back of the line when its easier to go through the front."

_Whoa...seriously, he's just going to let me through, _Sakura could only marvel at this turn of luck and she wasn't about to question it right now.

Later, much later she would question it, but for right now she was just going to play along.

Sakura shot him a teasing, yet genuine smile. "Such a gentleman," she murmured softly as she went on by him.

"Hey! Why doesn't she have to wait like the rest of us! What makes her so special!" snarled out a female voice. Sakura immediately turned to the sound and saw a woman with black hair cut short to her head with garish red streaks running through it. She wore the tightest dress Sakura had ever seen. The color could only be described as neon pink. It just barely covered the tips of her breasts and she wondered how the woman was going to move without flashing someone her underwear.

_Maybe she's not wearing any, _Sakura thought and immediately had to stifle her laughter. The woman looked as though she belonged in the red light district, not at an exclusive club.

Apparently the bouncer was thinking the same thoughts because he gave her a look of utter maliciousness. "Because, unlike you, _she _has class."

Sakura flashed him another smile for the compliment and proceeded to walk into the club where she handed the person waiting on the inside her cover charge of fifty dollars. She did not see the bouncer move his head slightly to left to speak softly into an earpiece.

"Tell the boss I might have found the answer to his problem. You won't be able to miss her."

"Roger that."

Aki Uchiha continued for a moment to stare at that luscious creature who stepped into club. _Never seen a woman with that shade of hair, or eyes that color jade. _But he simply shook his head and went back to his job. Unless he missed his guess, which was not often, that woman was about to shake up the club in all kinds of ways.

_She should be able to keep Sasuke entertained. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **This story is rated **M** for a very good reason. If you are not old enough, or mature enough, to read these types turn back now. You have bene warned.

**Disclaimer:** I do not, nor have I ever, owned Naruto. I just play in their world.

**Review! Reviews! Like it? Hate it? I want to know! The more I get the more I write. **

Mortal Tears

Chapter 2

_Could this night get any more boring, _Sasuke Uchiha thought with a cynicism that could only come by being one of the privileged elite. He with a few select friends and associates were up in the VIP booth reserved exclusively for the Uchiha.

The glass was sound proof but the music was filtered through speakers that were designed _not _to give them early hearing loss. The only way to have a descent conversation, or other activities involving lips and tongue, without having to yell across the room. The glass was vibrating softly due to the pounding of the music from down below. The strobe lights that flashed on the floor could be muted by the black semi-transparent silk curtains that were currently pulled away from the window as to give the occupants a fantastic view of the writhing bodies on the dance floor.

"Such a fearsome look," purred a seductive voice to the left of him, " are you not enjoying yourself?"

Sasuke did not bother to hide the fact that he was rolling his eyes at the speaker. "Your deductive skills must be good to tell that a frown means I'm not enjoying myself." His tone was sharp and barbed with annoyance. He had been known to let blood with his words alone. Tonight was no exception.

Kin flinched slightly at the acidity in his voice but that didn't mean she was giving up just yet. "Ooh, the Uchiha scorn. How utterly...delectable." She sidled closer, despite the fact that she had arrived with another male.

She was close enough to run a lacquered fingernail up the side of his arm. "Perhaps I could put in a more...festive mood."

Sasuke look down at the woman who was invading his personal space without any regards to just how tight a rope she walked. If she wasn't careful, he would hang her with it. Kin was the daughter of well-known bureaucrat and she was not above blackmailing males into her bed when they would not come willingly.

However that little ploy of hers would not work on a Uchiha.

_Slut, _he thought with the touch of ennui knowing that if he told her to get on her knees and pleasure him in front of all these people, she would do it without hesitation.

But she incited no such desire in him and he was about to tell he what she could with her 'invite' when something else caught his attention.

"Whoa...Aki wasn't kidding! She is a hot little number!"

Sasuke frowned at that. Aki was one of his cousin some twice removed, not exactly high on the pecking order, but he made one hell of doorman for the new club.

"What are you babbling about over there?"

The two guys, Jugo and Sora, motioned for him to closer. Jugo was an associate from his company and Sora was also family. He worked as personal security for his father. Frowning at their obvious show of enthusiasm, Sasuke pushed Kin away from him, a startled yelp from the woman as she tumbled onto the ground.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't even bother to look at her. "You bore me, now get the fuck out of here. Ishin you can stay or leave with your girl, I could care less."

With that done, he walked over to the window. "Now what are you two idiots crowing about?"

Jugo raised a dark eyebrow at him but Sora had a grin to split his face. "See for yourself cousin." He cocked a head at the glass.

"In a sea of bodies you expect me to pick out..." but he stopped as he saw exactly what Sora was referring to.

In the middle of the crowded dance floor, a lone figure had a space all to her own. Her pink hair immediately stood out from the sea of black, red and blonde hair. She was also dressed from head to toe in leather.

White leather.

Sasuke could make out every detail of her, from her halter style top that cover her from the neck down but left the flat plains of her midriff completely bare. Her leather pants looked as though they had been painted on her body, showing off the flair of her hips and long, lithe legs that had him imagining what else they could do besides dance.

He frowned as he realized he kept seeing flashes of black every time she gyrated her hips to the music. It became apparent when she spun and faced the booth.

Black briar roses climbing on black vines decorated the left side of her hip trailing behind her thigh before ending at her lower calf. Her top also sported the black rose and thorn pattern with the vine starting up near the right side of her neck, the rose 'blooming' just above her left breast, before the vine once more dipped and curved behind her ribcage.

"Man, now there's a female who knows how to dance!" Sora muttered fervently as once more she swayed to the music, her head tipped back, eyes closed. "I think she looks a little lonely, dancing all alone. Maybe I should..."

"She's mine." Sasuke cut in before Sora could complete the thought and deed.

Sora and even Jugo, gaped at his stark words. It wasn't like him to claim a female with just a single look.

"Hey I..." Sora began but abruptly shut his mouth when Sasuke looked at him with those cold eyes of his. He swallowed hard and stepped back away from the window. "Sure, she's yours."

Sasuke left the lounge without another word.

Jugo and Sora stared at each other, before turning back to the window. "This is about to get interesting." Jugo muttered, a slight curve to his lips.

It seemed Sasuke was no longer quite so bored. He wondered how long that particular female kept his interest.

"A hundred dollars say's he looses interest in the next fifteen minutes."

Jugo looked at Sora, who cocked a black eyebrow at him.

"Done, _but _I'll give her thirty minutes before he moves on."

Sora laughed at that. "So much time? Know something I don't about our mysterious woman?"

"He didn't order her up to the lounge," Jugo pointed out, "he went to her."

Sora frowned at that. "Damn. There is that."

He may end up losing this bet after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: **This is going to sound old, but again this story is rated **M **for a reason. You have been warned.

**Disclaimer: ** I do not, nor have I ever, owned Naruto. I just play in their world.

**Yep you know the drill, Reviews!  
**

Mortal Tears

Chapter 3

_One hour earlier..._

_ This was a waste of time, _Sakura thought dispiritedly as she leaned up against one of the bars, barely touching the Smirnoff she had ordered as to not draw suspicion. There were plenty of milling sheep in the club, including several top ranking officials who were surrounded by girls who were probably just barely legal.

She looked away when one of those said officials pulled a petite brunette onto his lip and slid his hand under her spangled skirt. If this was going to be one of _those _clubs, she was out of here.

She had no inclination for voyeurism, and had no desire to become part of a group orgy either.

_Damn it, _she thought with grown anger, _what was I thinking? That I would show up and _the _Uchiha my mom wrote about in her diary would see me and suddenly have all the answers to my questions after six years of mom's...passing? _

She realized that sounded not only ridiculous but utterly improbable now that she thought about it.

_So much for this avenue. Guess I will have to stick with plan B for the time being. Someone in this city has the answers to my questions and I am not leaving without them. _

Sakura wondered if she shouldn't just go home, considering this was a complete bust.

"Hey there beautiful, you feeling lonely?"

Sakura turned a dispassionate eye to yet another male trying to hit on her. It came to no surprise that he wasn't looking at her face, but to her chest. Despite the fact that her top was cut halter style that didn't even show a hint of cleavage, it still molded to her body like a glove.

Which apparently was good enough for the male populace.

"Nope." she told him, her voice holding a touch of arctic frost.

"Such a precise answer. Surely you don't mean that." He moved closer and she could smell the alcohol on his breath, " don't you want to dance? Loosen up a little?"

Sakura slammed her drink back down on the counter, causing several heads to turn her way. "You know what? I think I would like to dance," and before the male could say anything, "_alone._"

She weaved through the crowd before he could follow her movements and she found a small pocket of dance floor to move on.

_Well even if this is a bust, I might as well enjoy the music. I didn't just waste fifty dollars to go back to an empty apartment. _

Sakura allowed herself, for a single moment, to forget why she came to Tokyo three years ago. Instead she let the music wash over her body and lost herself in the pulsing beat. She wasn't a minute into the music when she felt ghostly hands on her hips. She spun and narrowed her eyes at a male trying to cop a feel.

The male with the sable hair and day's growth of beard held out a hand for her to take. Sakura shook her head and stalked away, she didn't want a dance partner. It took her nearly three more tries, followed by several hand slaps off of her body, for them to get the hint she wanted to be left alone.

Eventually she succeeded and finally she had her own pocket of space to just cut loose. Head tossed back, eyes closed and lips slightly parted, she once more lost herself to the pulsing heat of the music. This time no one tried to touch her. Instead several backed away to watch the woman with coral hair dance, her movements fairly mesmerizing.

Sakura danced and danced until a fine sheen of perspiration coated her skin and still she could not stop. She hadn't danced like this since her new job nearly six months ago.

It felt good. So deliciously good to let go.

A commotion was happening on the dance floor and Sakura vaguely heard the squeal of girls voices above the pounding music that made her bones vibrate.

She ignored them, her entire being focused on the music.

Once more she felt a pair of hands touching her, except these hands were sliding up her hips with such sensual possession that Sakura gasped and her eyes flew open and she grabbed the hands to still them.

"Don't," whispered a starkly masculine voice directly into her ear, even as his hands took possession of her hips and pulled her hard up against toned body.

She let out an involuntary shudder as the husky timbre of his voice caressed her body. Her hands were still closed over his but she was still dancing, still pressed up against his body, even as he molded his body more firmly against her own.

Sakura couldn't stand not knowing who was dancing with her so erotically and she turned her head just a fraction, catching a ray of light from the strobes.

Eyes of drowning midnight met her own stark emerald. Her unseen partner was no longer unseen and she sucked in a sharp breath.

Her dance partner was so damn beautiful he literally stole the breath from her body.

But not beautiful the way a woman was beautiful.

No his beauty was lethal kind. Dangerous, sharp and purely masculine. She supposed his hair could have been called raven, but it was such a tame word for hair that had been brushed by darkness. Cut into feathered layers that curled around the nape of his neck in such a careless fashion she knew it had to been deliberate. Feathered bangs spiked over his eyes, playing peek-a-boo with their midnight depths made Sakura instinctively want to brush them away from his face.

Instead she gripped his hands tighter against the shocking reaction. Cheekbones so sharp they could cut like a blade, strong aquiline nose and a mouth so lush with potent sexuality made her body clench hotly at being held by such a male.

Sakura twisted her head away, reeling from the shock of instant and undeniable lust coursing through her blood.

But that didn't stop her from molding herself against him when the music changed from a fast beat of techno music, to the slow, pulsing heat of Latin music. Her partner, his name still unknown, kept one hand on possessively on hip but used the fact that she was still holding onto his hands to lift his right hand off of her hip and pull her arm around his neck, holding her firmly against his body.

Sakura made the mistake of squirming against his body, not in dance, but trying to create a space between them.

"If you don't stop that," he murmured softly for her ears alone, " I will take it as an open invitation for something more than dancing."

His words, full of sexual promise, instantly caused Sakura to clench with liquid heat until she was embarrassingly wet from his voice alone.

"Better," he murmured as she stopped fighting him and allowed herself once more to be pulled up against him.

"What do you want?" she asked him, frowning when her voice came out a husky question instead of the cool demand she meant it to be.

His low chuckle caused her body clench even more hotly that before. "I should think that was obvious."

Sakura blushed as she realized her question could have a double meaning. His hard erection pressed against the curve of her spine answered _that _question quite clearly.

His apparent desire created a duel reaction inside of her. She couldn't deny that she was attracted to him, the dampness between her thighs gave testament to that fact. However she wasn't used to unknown males coming onto her so aggressively, clearing not expecting any resistance on her part.

That made her angry to think he could manipulate her so.

"Is that right," she murmured softly so only he could hear and he pressed himself closer to her, only to curse softy but very vividly as she dug her nails into the back of his neck.

His grip on her body loosed for an instant and she used that moment of distraction to push out of his arms, spinning away so that he couldn't grab her from behind again.

"A woman who uses claws instead of kisses," he said eying her, "I must admit, I'm turned on."

Sakura's jaw dropped for a moment at his words, before snapping it shut. Now that she was no longer pressed up against him from behind she got a good look at him. His face, she knew from her first look, was like something out of a dream.

His body, however, threatened to make her knee's buckle. He looked like something out a dark, erotic dream.

He was dressed in a black silk shirt and black leather pants. The shirt clung to his lean frame as easily as her leather top. The collar was turned up at the neck, creating a 'v' around his neck and chest where the top button had been left undone and the sleeves rolled back to his elbows, the cuffs flaring out.

Golden-kissed skin met her eyes, muscled in the hard way a martial arts was, not that of a bodybuilder. The clear strobe light flashed over him and Sakura caught the gleam of a pendant on chest. Strung on a silver chain, the pendant glowed with a crimson fire.

Sakura blushed with her own fire as she realized she had been staring at him for several minutes and he had done nothing to stop her.

In fact a slight smile of pure male satisfaction was on his lips.

Lips that moments ago has been close enough to her throat she had felt his breath on skin.

"Regretting leaving my arms so soon?" His tone was mocking yet oddly inviting at the same time.

"Not a chance," she shot back, "in fact I was just leaving."

Before her body could make a liar out of her words, she spun on the heel of her shoe and stalked through the crowd who, she noticed, had kept a fair distance from the two of them.

_Now why would they do that? _

Yet another unanswered question to add to her growing list but this time she wasn't sticking around to find the answer.

People were still waiting to get into the club when she left. She wanted nothing more to do with that club, it was messing with her head too badly.

_Damn well near seduced out of my mind by a guy I never even met is more like it. _

That wasn't like her, to be so shaken up by one males good looks. Had he kept pressing that oh so lickable body up against hers...well she might have done something else other than dig her fingernails in his neck.

_So it's probably a good thing I got out of there when I did. _

"Leaving so soon?"

Sakura stopped short and slowly turned around. _No freaking way, I know I left before he did. _

Yet the proof was right before her eyes. He was leaned up against the wall, right next to the only exit in the entire building.

"How the hell did you did you beat me?" she demanded.

Her erotic-dream-come-to-life merely smirked at her. "Sorry, if I told you, I'd have to kill you."

She rolled her eyes at his answer. "Fine. Whatever. I'm going home."

_Arrogant bastard. _

"You haven't told me your name." It wasn't a question from his lips, but a demand from a male who was not accustomed to being denied.

Sakura turned her head to look over her should, just as her wavy hair tumbled attractively over her shoulder, casting part of her face in shadows.

"No I didn't," she replied before giving him a malicious smile, "and I have no plans to either."

In two strides he was off the wall and cupping her face in his hands. She could barely breathe, he was so close.

So potently _male. _Like a drug to her mind.

"That wasn't a request."

His mouth was close to her, separated by mere inches.

"Oh good," she breathed and the inches shorted, "because I have no intention of obeying."

His mouth was on hers as soon as the last syllable left her lips. Sakura instantly grabbed onto his shirt, unable to anything else as he destroyed all her senses with his sexual heat. Her fingers fisted into shirt as he angled her jaw with hand, so that he could take her deeper into his mouth.

That single point of contact seemed to have a direct line to the pooling heat between her thighs. The deeper he kissed her, the more damp she became until she was matching him, kiss for kiss.

His arm snaked around her waist, and she was suddenly up against another wall, trapped between his thighs. The intimacy of the contact was enough to break the sensual haze in her mind.

Sakura managed to pull her head away in a quick gasp and was about to tell him to stop but he allowed her only a second to draw a breath before claiming her mouth once more.

Out of desperation Sakura bit down on his lip hard enough to break the skin.

Sasuke snapped his head back as the sharp pain broke his absolute focus on her mouth.

Now that she finally had is attention, she shoved hard at his chest.

He didn't even budge an inch.

"What was that for?" he asked, a his voice a deadly purr, no longer amused by her penchant for violence upon his person.

Sakura's eyes glittered with a hard fury.

"Because you wouldn't stop! Now let me go, I have to get home."

He traced a single finger now the line of her face, before tipping he face up to meet his.

"Someone waiting for you there?" his voice was absolutely lethal.

Sakura slapped his hand away from her face. "No," she told him with cool calm that she did _not _feel, "but I have to be up early for _work._"

"So, call in sick and come home with me."

"Not a chance," she retorted, "my boss would have me fired. He's rather strict about attendance."

"Is that the excuse you are using? Because of _work._" His voice dripped sarcasm.

"I don't fuck males I've just met."

"Then you would be the first not to."

Rage bloomed inside of Sakura. He had, in not so many words, just called her a slut. With a snarl, Sakura pushed off the wall with her legs, causing Sasuke to move back abruptly.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you don't know _anything _about me. Now _let me pass_ or I swear I will make you a eunuch."

With a twitch of his lips, Sasuke moved back another pace and Sakura took of like a spooked deer, not looking back until she had crossed the alleyway and was safely behind the steering wheel of her car.

_Bastard, _her mind seethed even as her body was a torturous ache of sensual need unfulfilled.

With a snarl Sakura shifted her car in to gear and took off out of the alleyway, swearing that if she saw that arrogant bastard again she would make him eat those words.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Wow four chapters posted on one day! Must be some kind of record for me! Hope everyone is enjoying the story, I know I love writing it!

**Disclaimer: **I do not, nor have I ever, owned Naruto. I just play in their world.

**Reviews! Reviews! It's my obsession...**

Mortal Tears

Chapter 4

_One week later..._

"Haruno, can you come here for a moment."

Sakura looked up from her desk to see Ushio Machiko, the overseer of the secretary pool, motioning for her to come to her desk.

Frowning inwardly, Sakura quickly left her desk to meet up with the older woman. She had just barely walked in the door and settled at her desk before the manager had summoned her.

"Is there something wrong Ms. Machiko?"

"Aiko has called in sick with the flu and Marika is still in rotation with Mr. Orochimaru, so I need you to go up to the executive suite and fill in. Mr. Uchiha has several business meetings set up and cannot be without a secretary."

"I understand."

"Remember my words Ms. Haruno."

Sakura nodded her head in understanding and Machiko dismissed her to go to the executive floor.

Her words were a reminder of her first day of work and had called her into her office to explain the rules to her.

_"So you're Sakura Haruno?" the gorgeous woman with the strawberry blonde hair had asked, even though she had her file open and was reading it. She wore a gold colored blouse underneath a deep navy blue vest with golden button that matched her navy blue pencil skirt. Sheer stocking and black low-heel pumps completed the look. She wore minimal jewelry with a simple gold bracelet and necklace that looked to be a matched set. Her hair was pulled up into an elegant braided knot. _

_ "I am." Sakura had answered. _

_ "Twenty-one years of age and a resident of Tokyo for only three years. Prior employment shows you waitressed at a resturant and did bookkeeping for a hotel?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Where did you live before moving to Tokyo?"_

_ "Hokkaido, Ikkurai Prefecture."_

_ "I see. Under normal circumstances I would never have consented to hire someone with little secretarial experience. However you aptitude tests for the position were some of the highest I have seen and unfortunately we are understaffed and need to fill positions quickly."_

_ "I was...told that the secretarial pool has a high turn-over rate. I was not told why."_

_ Machiko looked up from her file to give her a smile that held no humor. "Learned that already, hmm? Well there is a truth to what you heard. Our secretarial pool staffs all the executive levels. We generally rotate about once a month but," at this she took off her gold rimmed glasses, "unfortunately our managing Director is not very...forgiving. We've had to fire three secretaries for improper conduct and two have quite because they found working under him to be too stressful. Right now we are rotating the pool for his office to once a week."_

_ Sakura blinked at that, she had never heard of such a turn over rate but something bothered her... "Improper conduct?"_

_ Once more she was graced with that smile that held little warmth. "Yes and this is why I called you into my office. There are several rules that you must abide, they are non-negotiable. The first is we do not tolerate tardiness. You are to be at your desk on or before the start of your shift. The second is you are not to work over your shift without prior authorization, nor are you to switch shifts with another secretary without first discussing it with me."_

_ Those sounded reasonable to Sakura and she readily agreed to them._

_ "Don't be so hasty, for the others agreed as well but you have not yet heard my finally rule and this supersedes all others." at her nod Machiko continued, "there is to be _no fraternization_ with the upper an executive managers. At all. If you are caught dating or sleeping with a boss, no matter who his secretary is, you will be fired on the spot."_

_ "I see no conflict," Sakura told her, "I do not mix business with pleasure." _

Especially when her sole business here had to do with her mother.

_ "I will remember those words, and for your sake, I hope you do as well. Most of our executives are very good-looking and well...if, and I do mean _if, _I ever rotate you for the Director's office, you will understand." _

So here she was, six months later, being asked to serve as the Director's secretary. At least for today.

Sakura gathered her purse and flash drive and made her way to the only elevator that led to the Director's suite. She gave herself a rueful smile on the way up. Because she was so new to the company she had never seen the Director, let alone met the male. All she knew was a name.

Sasuke Uchiha.

From what she had read, he was twenty-five, an unheard of age for a Director of a major corporation but she had also read that he was something of a prodigy for his clan. His father, Fubuku Uchiha had only _not _posted his son for the job but Sasuke had worked his way up through the company from age eighteen to become it's Director.

_Quite the achievement for one so young, _she thought even though he was four years older than herself. But therein lay the problem, he could not possibly be _the _Uchiha her mother had referred to in her journal before she...died.

Her mother had been in Tokyo _before _Sakura had been born. There was no way this...Sasuke could be the right Uchiha. He was far too young.

She would simply have to keep digging until she struck gold.

The elevator dinged to let several managers on and they gave Sakura no more than a passing glance.

Sakura allowed only the slightest of smiles to grace her lips. She said a silent prayer to the gods that she had decided against the traditional skirt of secretary and had opted for slacks instead. Machiko had frowned the first time she had seen Sakura in her crisp, black slack instead of the traditional pencil skirt but Sakura pointed out that there was nothing in the handbook about a secretary wearing slack. She just had to have a professional appearance at all times.

_"Yes, I am aware of the rules but secretaries, as a whole, wear skirts." _

_ Sakura frowned at that. "As long as I maintain my professional appearance and my work does not suffer, won't my wearing slacks cut down on the internal flirting? Most males here seem to think that a woman in a skirt is up for social flirtation, even though we have been told such actions will lead to termination." _

_ Machiko had actually looked startled at her words. "Hmm, you may have a point. Very well, I will allow you to dress as you wish, so long as it maintains corporate standards"_

So today she wore pleated black slacks paired up with a long sleeved white blouse and a button down vest of hunter green with gold edging on the lapels of the vest as well as on the cuffs of her blouse. She wore sensible one inch black pumps with her hair pulled up into a tight bun, the type a dancer would wear, with only minimal make-up. A touch of black eyeliner for the eyes and pale rose lip gloss to keep her lips from drying out.

Minimal make-up, server hair-do and slacks seemed the perfect combination to keep male attention away from her.

She was actually very pleased with the look because it also allowed her to go about her business unnoticed and that was exactly the way she wanted it.

After several minutes and the elevator empty, Sakura finally made it to the Director's suite. She stepped off the elevator to see that the hall where the secretary desk sat was empty as well.

_Which means the Director is already in office, or I managed to beat him up here. _

Sakura quickly crossed the hall, with its plush red carpeting that made her wish she could walk barefoot, and quickly put away her things and pulled out Sasuke Uchiha's daily planner. Luckily because he had not permanent secretary, the planner could not be taken home.

_It looks as though he has a ten o'clock meeting with managerial staff and then at noon he is suppose to take a lunch meeting with Hyuga Exports and after that he has a conference call..._

Sakura spent the rest of the morning pulling up the reports for the Hyuga Exports meeting, knowing that the Hyuga's were another of those elite clans with more money than the gods and more power than most of parliament. It would be a big coup if Uchiha managed to snare them as a potential client.

A sudden, blaring ring at her desk snapped Sakura away from her readings on her computer screen.

"Mr. Uchiha's office, Haruno speaking."

"Who is this?" demanded a cold voice on the other end, "You are not Aiko."

Sakura suddenly gripped the phone in her hands, realizing she was talking the Director. His voice erupted goose-bumps along her skin for reasons she couldn't quite understand.

She had the sense of deja vu, as though she had heard his voice from before. But she answered quickly, knowing that if she didn't he would be calling Machiko to have her fired.

"No, I am not. Aiko is out sick, I am her replacement for today."

"Great, another useless female." His tone spoke of aggravation and suppressed anger, "Never mind, bring me the Hyuga Exports documents so that I can preview them before my meeting."

The line suddenly went dead. Sakura blinked at the abruptness of the phone call and realized she had experienced first hand the Director's unforgiving manners.

_What a jerk, _she thought but quickly printed off the documents he requested and quickly slipped them into a binder.

Sakura tapped on the door and waited for the Director to tell her to come in before she entered.

The back of his chair was the first thing she saw when she entered the room and realized that he was on a phone call, facing the glass window that gave him a fantastic view of the city.

"...nothing? After a damn week you still can't locate her? Well _find her _and don't call me back until you have."

"Sir?" Sakura called out, "I have the documents you requested."

The chair swiveled round and Sakura felt as though she had been suckered punched. The Director, Sasuke Uchiha, _was the man from Susano-Wo._


End file.
